Sunday, December 11

I woke up and decided to go for a walk while the weather permitted it. Frost covered everything and I thought this might lead to more snow. It didn’t.

I walk through the woods and then down Kiviportintie to Alepa, where I get some money out for the trip to India. I cross the road and walk down Itäväylä. All the bushes sparkle with frost and the early light lights up the tress behind. The light at this time of the year never fails to interest me.

In the afternoon we will do the Saturday morning cleaning twenty four hours late, and then go to visit Irma’s father.

At 18:00 Sanal will arrive to complete Irma’s education in Malayalam. He will declare himself as interested as me in what will happen when we get there and Irma starts talking to surprised locals. I expect she will speak fluently by the time we come home.

Later in the evening I will have a shower and we will both decide not to watch X-Factor. Neither of us can bear the thought of two two-hour specials in a row. One Direction came second or third and went on to become the biggest band on the planet for several years, so it hardly matters whether Sara Aalto ends up in first or second place.

I will go to sleep at about 22:22, thinking about individuality. Before I do I will wonder about 8 to the power of 8, for an example I have devised about the slippery nature of uniqueness.

The answer, 16,777,216, proves the point I intend to make.